A Different version of events
by ladyKathrynGunn
Summary: Matthew left Downton after Lavinia's death. Mary is invited to a party were she meets her 30 year old aunt to be. Matthew is there and after Mary tells him she fells ill he invites her back to his hotel. One thing leads to another and when Mary leaves for America with only her grandmother with the knowledge of her secret, Matthew fells his heart is on the other side of the world.
1. Chapter 1

Why did her mother make her go to this, this party just to met another woman who could become her aunt. She let out an exasperated sigh. The car slowed to a stop and the driver got out to help her. Her dress flowed in the wind. The hubub outside the club was that of electric. The young women smoking and drinking cocktails. She wondered what her grandmother would make of this, this place. As she made her way inside her eyes became locked on a silhouette she knew so well. Matthew Crawley. Before any other event took place her aunt-to-be caught her arm and greeted her. She was a well dressed woman who looked to be just a few years older than Mary. Her uncle was 10 years younger than her mother and now he had found a woman just years older than his edlest niece. To tell the honest truth, he was notorious for having always choosen younger women while he was looking for, what the Americans called soul-mates. The party was giving her headache already and she had only just got here. Her gaze stayed on Matthew, who had his back to her, while some young girl of about 19 was talking about how the fashion's were changing. She gave her excuse and wander through the crowd which seemed to get denser and denser every step she took. She felt a small tap on her shoulder. Turning her head slightly, she saw those blue eyes again for the first time since he had said they were cursed. His eyes seemed bluer than ever. At first everything seemed awkward and stiff. Eventually the conversation flowed with more ease, as if they were in a time before the war. He asked her about Downton and how her family was keeping.  
"Matthew, why are you here?"The question had been dry in her mouth until know. Had her mother set this up, for Matthew knew no-one from her American family.  
"Your mother..." He did need to continue for the laugh that came from Mary seemed to engulf the whole room the were standing in, alone.  
"I should have known, for you know no-one from America." The music seemed to grow louder and Mary held her head.  
"Mary? Are you alright?"  
"No, not really. My head hurts and..I'm really sorry...for everything.."  
"I know somewhere quite."  
"Where?"  
"My hotel is just around the corner and they aren't very busy tonight. It is also a brilliant place for you to explain what on earth you are talking about! You have nothing to be sorry about. "  
"Yes i do, and on a lighter note, are you asking me back to your hotel? How very scandalous of you!"  
"Yes i am, but as friends."

They made their escape without anyone spotting them and made the short journey to the Hotel. Mary couldn't believe it when she saw that it was none other than the Ritz. "Matthew, are you, Matthew Crawley, staying at the Ritz?"  
"Yes, i Matthew Crawley, am staying at the most famous hotel in London." The smile that evolved on her face was as much a reward as he wanted from his answer. He asked for wine and two glasses to be brought to his room in five minutes. Mary raised her eyebrow in that classic Lady Mary way.  
"Wine will make your head better so we can talk." She wonders how her knows this but then again his father was a doctor and his mother a nurse.  
"If your sure!" His room was big and was decorated for a man with no understanding for style.  
"Not the best room, but it does me."  
"What do you mean?"  
"This is my home for the next 3 weeks and has been for the past 5."  
"Why?"  
"I'm working for a London firm that need my help with a claim to a will."  
"To be honest i have no idea what you are talking about!"  
"Let's forget about it. Any way, how is your head?"  
Mary sits herself in on of the chair on her right while Matthew took the chair on his right. Out of the four chairs they could have chosen they chose a chairs that faced each other.  
"Much better. If granny had been there she would have left before even going in the door!"  
"The music was a little on the... Well i think you know what i mean." The laugh he hadn't heard for so long, engulfed the room and made him shiver.  
"Yes."

As the night went on, more and more wine and Champagne was drunk until talk turned to Sir Richard.  
"Matthew... Please don't mention that man's name."  
"Why not? He is your fiance, Mary."  
Mary ignores him, but in place of an answer she kisses him. Mary didn't expect him to respond, but he did and with more power than she truly envisaged.  
"Mary..."

The next morning Mary woke with fright when she felt herself begin shaken awake. As she prised one eye open and saw a very nude Matthew shaking her awake. She sat bolt upright and then realized not only was Matthew nude but she was also.  
"Matthew?"  
"I think we both know what happened and that Anna will be going out of her mind with worry that you have yet to return."  
"What is the time?"  
"Half past four."  
"What! Anna expected me back at midnight, if not before."  
"How's your head?"  
"I though it was better but now its not the music but you that has made it return."  
Matthew laughed but stopped when he saw the scowl on Mary's face.  
"It not funny, Matthew." Giving him a slap on his arm. He kissed her collarbone and then moved upwards to her lips.  
"Really, Matthew... I really don't want to go..but if i don't then...Well i think you know what Aunt Rosamund is like. If she finds out about this then she will relish in it for the rest of her life."

Mary got out of the taxi with a careful step. She saw the light coming from the Servants quarters and when she surreptitiously made her way down to the entrance. Anna must have been watching, for when she reached the last step, the door flew open and Anna greeted her with smile before going of into on of her rants.  
"Milady, were have you been? It's past midnight. Lady Rosamund will be after me tomorrow to find out when you came back."  
Mary smiled at her maid.  
"Leave Lady Rosamund to me.. oh and if she asks i came back at half past...Wait, when did she go to bed?"  
"Half past midnight. She was expecting you at midnight, like me. When she slept i don't know."  
"In other words she may have been watching for me and she could still be awake..."  
"Yes, milady."  
"I had better go up know - oh and if she asks i was caught up speaking to Matthew and we lost track of time."  
"Very well... but that's not what really happened is it milady?" The door of Lady Rosamund's room is open and Mary sees this, gently putting her finger to her lip. With her free hand she turns the handle, opening the door. Anna entered first and Mary looked back at the door that a moment ago was ajar.  
"How can you tell?"  
"Where to begin, milady. Your dress isn't done up right...you hair is not the way i made it up and ..."  
"Alright you have made your point."

The morning came faster than she thought. The rattling of the crockery on the tea tray woke her with a start. She let out of groan that made Anna jump.  
"I didn't think i had woken you milady."  
"Never mind that. Has Lady Rosamund said anything?" Anna set the tea tray down and opened the curtains.  
"No milady, and thank goodness."  
"For both our sakes." Anna laughed and handed Mary a cup of tea. She put it to her lips before raising an eyebrow at Anna.  
"What is it, Anna?"  
"Just the fact,that you are so calm, as Lady Rosamund is waiting for you downstairs. Her maid told me to tell you that Lady Rosamund wants to know when you returned last night."  
"Heavens! What am i to tell her?"  
"It might be best if you tell her the truth."  
"What? That i spend the night with Matthew Crawley in his hotel room and returned at 5 o'clock?"  
"Yes. It will be better than telling her that you came in the door at 2 o'clock and then Lady Rosamund saying she saw you in a state of semi-dress going to bed at 5 o'clock! What will you say then? You may be family but, Lady Rosamund isn't afraid to spread gossip."  
"She isn't Edith, Anna. But i sometimes wonder where her spitefulness comes from" She gets out of bed and sheads her nightdress from her body - a daily task that took just seconds. When she was in a state of better dress she sat down at the dressing table. Anna took the brush to the braid that took almost half an hour last night and undid it. She pulled the brush through the curling locks.  
"Maybe your right Anna, but i will let her make the first move."

The material moved and shone as the sun came through the window and caught the dress. The door that her eyes had remained fixed too since she had given the message to her niece's maid over half an hour ago. The foot steps on the stairs went unheard and she never her the click of the door as her niece entered the room that was now named the Mirror Room - the young girl how had inhabited this house as a girl made up her mind that the Mirror Room was a much better name than 'The Green Study Room of Queen Carolina', so that is how the Mirror Room got its name. The memories engulfed her head so much she jumped, almost out of her seat, when she heard her niece's voice.  
"Good morning." Mary took a seat across from her aunt.  
"Huh, oh good morning, my dear. You were very late last night." Mary nearly missed the tone in her voice.  
"Not that late, aunt Rosamund. I hope i didn't wake you."  
"Heavens no i was still awake when you came back at 5 o'clock. What on earth possessed you to stay out until 5 o'clock in London, Mary? And you looked almost undressed when you and Anna came up stairs. I hope no one from that American Party took advantage."  
"It wasn't an 'American Party' as you put it. Madeleine my be from New York, but her parents are more English than granny!"  
"No one could be more English than mama, Mary."  
"Very well, but her mother is from Devon and her father from Cornwall. You cannot get more English than that. And i didn't see any one American there."  
"That's because you weren't there very long and you didn't speak to anyone apart from Madeleine and Matthew Crawley." It dawned on Mary that she must have either spoken to Madeleine or had someone follow her every move.  
"Where you following me?"  
"I wanted to keep an eye on you so i went to the Party as well."  
"But you weren't invited."  
"Your mother and i are better friends than you imagine. She asked me to go."  
"To watch me because she doesn't trust me around me."  
"Can excuse her after everything?"  
"Not really, but to ask you to spy on me like that is really underhand of her." With that she stood and left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

25th of December 1919 up to 12th of January 1920.

She was awoken by the churning she felt deep down in her stomach. Nausea washed over her as she sat up. 6:00 am. Christmas day. As she tried to fight it of, she found her self running towards the bathroom that joined her room. As she emptied her the contens of her stomach, she sighed. This was the 31st morning in a row now this that happended. Anna wanted her to go to Doctor Clarkson, but she knew that if she went it would be all over the vilage by tea time, so instead she and Anna went to London and saw a doctor, who said she was pregnant - almost 3 months, at that. Having told her parents she wanted to do some shopping, she left on the 9 o'clock on a cold and frosty morning. Coming back that night on the 11 o'clock with a few parcels so no suspicsions arose. Her mother and Aunt watched her like a hawk, and when she sat down to the christmas dinner with Richard to one side and her granny on the other she felt under constant watch. As the fish course came round she felt her dinner repet on her. In the end she down right refussed the fish and upon this action everyone stopped talking and looked in her direction. An excuse found it's way to her mouth after a few seconds.  
"I had rather a bad fish dish this afternoon and it seems to have put me off." Everyone seemed to buy the excuse. That is all apart from Isobel.  
"Perhaps you have an avertion to fish, my dear."  
"Oh no it is nothing of the sort. No Crawley has an avertion of any kind." Her grandmother put in. The end of the converation was marked by the arrival of the pudding. The grand christmas pudding was every year the grand piece of the day.

Over the holiday period her mood got worse until finally she brokedown in Anna's arms the day after the shoot. Matthew's behaviour had confussed her, while Richard was becoming impossible to even look at. Granny's beady eyes missed nothing while her mother revealed her most preicous secret to her event lead to another witch lead to the final showdown with Richard that night in the library. The men roled on the floor like two lions fighting over prey. The slow motion almost over took her and she became locked in a world she did not know. The motion started to speed up upon the enterance of her father into the room. His voice domtinate her head while her eyes stayed fixed to the two figures roling on the sofa and then the floor. Followed by her father was her grandmother. Now nothing was scarid, not with her grandmother in the picture. Mary felt the blood rush from her head and as the men filed out past her, her grandmother remaind firmly in the same postion behind her.  
"Please go granny." Her eyes are fixed to the fire and do not turn towards her grandmother.  
"I will not go, my dear because you are too transparent, my dear. Something is amiss, and if you will not tell me then i will dig and dig until i find out what." Taking Mary by the arm she walked over the the sofa and sat down with her cane hitting the ground.  
"As i was saying, you were too quite at dinner and now... now you go transparent and i could see right through you as you just stood watch Matthew and that odious man roll about as if they were children fighting over a toy. Now you will tell me nothing is wrong and i won't believe you."  
"Granny, there is nothing to tell. " Trying to keep her emotions in check and to lie was hard enough without the fact that it was her own grandmother she was lying too.  
"No, my dear, there is something to tell and you are just to afraid to tell anyone." The slient tear begin to fall, the salty drops seep into her mouth as she tries in vain to prevent a sob from escaping her throat.  
"Now take your time, no one will enter for the door is locked." Locked? How had she missed her grandmohter locking the door after the men had left the room.  
"I don't really now where to begin for i am afraid to speak the truth, for if i tell you, you will go straigh to papa, who in turn will cast me into the darkness and then when he finds out who the father is..."  
"At least my dear you have been honest."  
"Now i have really let the cat out of the bag!"  
"So you really are pregnant. Who is the father?"  
" Granny,i can't... He doesn't even know. He can never know, but the thing is one day, he will." The look of furstration on her grandmothers face grew.  
"Mary, stop. Stop talking in riddels, and just come out with it."  
"Matthew is. Matthew Crawley. Papa's heir. The man that he regards more highly than his eldest dughter. Papa think's i am going to America and everyone apart from Sybil know the truth about Mr. Pamuk. Granny is it not enough for you i have to endure a scandal and a pregnancy, that i have to do it while with grandmama?" The sound of laughter echo's through the library.  
"You are so like me when i was younger, and perhaps you are doing the right thing by going to that WOMAN. Your papa had need never know about the child and neither had Matthew." It finally dawned on Mary what her granny meant - she was to give her child over to a childless couple and never have any thing to do with him or her again.  
"But they will know for i plan to have it in America and then in a few years time to return to Downton. If you think i will give up my baby, then you are very much mistaken!"  
"But with a child do you think your father will wlecome you back with open arms?I don't think he will, Mary and then if i take you in how will your father react then? But if you are trully sure, then you can go to America and then i promise you that if everyone here turn their backs on you, then you will always be welcome at the dower house, Mary."

Anna had just told her of her wish to remain in England so she could be near Bates. Mary had said she understood, of course she did. Anna wanted to be close to her husband. The servants ball would go ahead and that would be fun in it's own way.

As she sat with her grandmother she watched as the servants danced with the family. Carson with Mama, Papa with Mrs Hughes and Matthew with Miss O' Brien. Later that night Anna came to her saying that Lord Hepworth had snuck of with her aunts maid. Anna told her they seemd intent on doing something underhand. Mary had to find her aunt first before she assembled her plan. The three women all walked along the corridor towards Lord Hepworth's room. They hesitated before giving Anna a nod to open the door. And there before them was Miss Shore and Lord Hepworth on the bed together. Sharp word passed between Mary and Miss Shore before leaving them - together- in the room.  
"Please for give me my dear, but ... Damm!"  
"Why? it's a lucky escape if you ask me."  
"Yes it is but i just cannot stand it when Mama is proved right!"

She was standing as he came up behind her and asked her for a dance. They went round and round until they both admited they felt dizzy.

The snow fell lightly around her. The light crunch underfoot told her someone was coming. She turn slightly to get a view of who it was. Matthew. Always Matthew.  
"Well that was fun. But there will be a few thick heads in the morning."  
"No doubt they think it's worth it."  
The banter continuted until they question fell.  
"Would you stay if i asked you to?"  
"Matthew, we both know we carry more luggage than the porters a King's cross." She hadn't meant it as a joke but Matthew laughted.  
"And what about the late Mr. Pamuk? And your vow to the memory of Lavinia?"  
"I was wrong about Lavinia, Mary. She didn't want us to be sad and as for Mr. Pamuk, well i have no reason to forgive you."  
"But, you see i fear he will publish and you will then be brought into it, and i can't bear to be here to read or hear what he and others have to say about me and futher more what they will say about our relationship, Matthew." He rap's his arms around her, as to say he accepted what she was saying. He warmed her chilling body as the snow fell around them.  
"Then you can go, but i will wait every day with baited breathe for the day you return." He took her face in his hands as they came out of the embrace, and he kissed her, it was more passionate than that night, but the emotion came out more than ever.


	3. Chapter 3

January 29th, 1920

Everything was packed. She was ready. She had told Matthew about her need for a maid and the next day he came to her with a young girl who looked to be about 21. Lily Manderson. She would replace Anna for the trip and upon Mary's return she would let Anna resume her job. Matthew had been constantly at the house from the day of the servants Ball, wanting to spend time with her up until the minute she set foot on the train.

Her goodbyes had been said and everything loaded up. She gave her mother and father a final kiss before moving over to where the Staff where standing.

"Goodbye, Carson. " His eyes where glazed over with tears and he could bearly sat anything back.

"Goodbye, milady. And stay safe." Now for Anna. Without a care in the world who was watching them, she embraced Anna. Her best friend and confidant.

"Anna, promise me you will write. I mean it. -"

"Of course i will, milady."

"- I know i can rely on you, for i know that my family won't write me long letter's!"

"Mary, it's time to go." And then there was Matthew. He would be her last link with home and he was taking her to the station. He wasn't driving but he had made the request a few days after she told the family she was leaving, to be the one that went to the station with her. Giving her mama one last hug, she took Matthew's hand and got into the car. When Matthew then got in after her, he could already tell how hard it was for her to leave home.

The car journey was silent. Neither of them had words they wanted to speak. Finally she took his hand in her's and squesed it. Why was this so hard?

"Mary...Why are you holding my hand? I thought we agreed." His eyes bore into her's as he shifted in his seat. " I know what we agreed, but i have to...hold onto you in so many ways, becasue you are, after all my last link with home." As the car ground to a stop and Lily got out, Mary kissed Matthew one last time before getting out of the car.

"Are you coming or does Pratt have to see me off?" She teased him one last time before her journey began. As Pratt delt with the bags, Matthew walked Mary and Lily towards the platform. Mary turned towards Lily with a smile and asked her to leave them be for a few moments. She storde away to the end of the Platform while Matthew took Mary into his arm's and hugged her.

"I will write everyday, i promise. " Their time seem shortend as the train came round the corner into view. "I love you, Matthew Crawley. I know how unenglish it is and if granny heard me now she would accuse me of being American!"

"And i you. You had better get going." They walked arm in arm towards Lily as the train slowed to a halt. One last embrace before he helped her abord. He saw the tears in her eyes as she sat down where she could see him out of the window.

"Are you alright milady?" She was concerned about her mistress, who a few minutes ago was all bubbly and exitable and now was, competley silent and rigid.

"I shall tell you everything once we leave." She stayed in the same hard, fixed posision until she finally lifted her hand and waved to Mr. Crawley as the train pulled out of the small country station.

"One thing you should know about me is that i have just left my heart and life behind on that platform. Also i'm pregnant."

_The Doctor asked her to lie on the bed behind the screen while Anna helped her undress. It was over in a few minutes but as she got up she saw the look on Anna's face. So it was true. She was Pregnant. She had lied to Matthew. For heaven's sake she was engaged to be married to another man. How on earth had thing's gotten to these propotions? Dr. George had said he would send her a letter with the results of the appointment. The letter had come the day before Christmas Eve. It comfermined her worst fear. She was indeed pregnant. So she made her mind up to travel to America without any of her family or Richard knowing. But then she hormonal - things came out the wrong way, she spoke before the thought, she snapped at everyone (nothing new there!). Then Richard acted out of turn infront of her whole family and even some neighbours just because she still hadn't set a date for their wedding. Her father began asking questions and before long he knew the truth about Pamuk. He told her to break it of with Cralisle and then she told Matthew who advised her to do the very same. So she did. _

She and Lily spoke until Mary was as certian that her eyes had closed for a split-second. She had told Lily everyting - every last sorded detail. As the train neared Liverpool, it jerked forward, waking her. Lily was watching her as she woke. She rubbed her eyes and stretched like a kitten.

"How long was i asleep for?" If they were nearing Liverpool then that meant Lily had let her sleep for ... 3 hours.

"3 hours, milady."

"Why did you let me sleep for 3 hours, you must have been extremely boered with no on to speak to."

"I was alright, milady. Any way, you needed to sleep." Her accent came throught thicker than Mary had ever heard it. Matthew. So like Matthew's. How on Earth was she meant to survive how many more days, weeks and months with someone who sounded just like the man she desired?

A/N: This story is insprired by various Fanfictions. Lily and Madeleine and Baby Crawley (Not George) are all mine and any other caracters that i mention. So, what do you think? Please review. 


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